Factors affecting performance in food and beverage craft course examinations in technical training institutions in Nyanza province Kenya
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Date
2014-05-08
Authors
Amoke, Elizabeth S.
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Abstract
The hospitality industry is one of the largest employers and among the highest revenue earners in Kenya. The industry is served by graduates of the Food and Beverage Craft Course (FBCC), which is offered in the various Technical Training Institutes in the country, which were established principally to prepare a low-level human resource required in the hospitality industry. Despite the noble aim, performance by students in this course in most of the Institutes has in the past five years continued to decline despite the continued growth in industry which called for the need to improve on exam performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that affect performance in FBCC. The objectives of the study were to; establish the factors affecting performance in FBCC, identify the types of resources and facilities available in the institutes for effective training in FBCC, determine the methods and techniques used by the lecturers in training, determine the incentives used by the administration to motivate lecturers when their students perform well and to identify the challenges that the learners and lecturers experience in the training and teaching ofthe course. In this study, the production function theory
was used to establish the relationship between the training and performance in the course. The study covered the six Technical Training Institutes that were offering the course at craft level. Data was collected using questionnaires and observation schedules. The sample consisted of 25 lecturers and 120 students undertaking Craft Course in Food and Beverage. The study used descriptive research design to gather factual information through critical analysis of facts and status of the out-put of the training programme. Validity and reliability of the instruments were ensured through piloting of the instruments with lecturers and students who were not part of the main study. Quantitative data was analyzed into percentages and frequencies using descriptive statistics with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The results of the study revealed that poor performance in the Institutes was as a result of lack of equipment at 23%, inadequate practical lessons at 43% and inadequate facilities and resources at 19%. The method of teaching used by 75% of the lecturers was lecture method which was inappropriate for this course. Lack of motivation stated by 73% of the lecturers was also cited as a factor affecting performance. The study recommended that the government and other stake holders should assist the institutions acquire modern training equipment, the institutions should strive to frequently expose their lecturers to in-service training in order to sharpen their teaching skills and that the lecturers should use learner-centred teaching methods to attract full participation of the learner.
Description
Department of Hospitality Management, 82p. 2013
Keywords
Food service --Study and teaching, Hospitality industry --Study and teaching